Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c11.6

c11.6

For each of the three or four Vedas a study of twelve years is held to be necessary, so that thus the maximum length of the period of study comes to be 48 years, while the minimum shall amount to 12 years (Āp. 1, 2, 12—16; Gaut. 2, 45—47 etc.). Yet one need not study the Vedas longer than it is necessary to master them and according to an ancient saying the sacred fire should be kindled, that is, the period of study should be completed, before gray hair appears (Baudh. 1, 3, 5). By way of an exception the student may devote himself to a spiritual life as a Naiṣṭhikabrahmacārin; in that case, if his teacher dies, he must serve the son or even the widow of the teacher or an older fellow student or eventually the sacred fire, as he formerly used to serve the teacher himself (Gaut. 3, 4—9; Vi. 28, 43—46 etc.).